


Second Time's a Charm

by Shortsnout



Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Banter, Coffee Shops, Dialogue Heavy, First Dates, Fluff, IronStrange, M/M, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-22
Updated: 2021-01-22
Packaged: 2021-03-14 12:14:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28920402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shortsnout/pseuds/Shortsnout
Summary: While on a boring blind date in a coffee shop thanks to Christine, Stephen finds himself rescued by a gorgeous, brown-eyed stranger.OrWhat if Stephen and Tony had met in a coffee shop before Iron Man existed?
Relationships: Tony Stark/Stephen Strange
Comments: 54
Kudos: 172





	Second Time's a Charm

**Author's Note:**

> Hi all. This a fic request by GenericMale3 over on Twitter who asked for a Coffee Shop AU. It’s not really an AU, but more a, what if fic.

** Second time’s a charm **

‘And then I walked right over and told him where to stick his job.’

Stephen tapped the edge of his coffee mug in a haphazard beat, trying to hide his agitation, his boredom.

Christine was going to get a tongue lashing because of this.

Sensing that his date was waiting for some reaction to this latest brag about himself, Stephen turned in his stool, stretching one arm out to rest on the back of it, pinning the man opposite with a withering stare.

‘So, you’re telling me you walked out of a perfectly acceptable job because your…and let me make sure I’m getting this right…your manager asked you to stay late _one_ night.’ He raised his free hand, holding up one finger.

‘It’s the principle of the thing, Steve-’

‘Stephen,’ he interrupted, letting his hand fall back down to his lap.

Swivelling back in his stool, Stephen leant his elbows on the teak counter in front of him. He let the man’s prattle fade into the background ambience of chatter from the coffee shop. Taking a sip of his latte, he closed his eyes to savour the silky taste of the milk, the bitter chase of the coffee.

He couldn’t for the life of him wonder what Christine thought he and this…guy had in common. Alright, he hadn’t been out on a date for years, not since their first year of medical school, but the responsibilities he had were demanding.

Something the man sitting beside him couldn’t even begin to fathom.

Resentment gnawed at him as he sat there. Elixir was _his_ sanctuary, the one place he could hide and recharge after surgery, or endless all-nighters researching. An oasis in the sprawling streets of New York, Elixir boasted exotic and rare coffee beans, wasted on the uncouth man beside him.

‘We don’t want to be stuck in a rat race. Am I right? I mean, why would anyone give more than their required hours. I’ve never understood why people put in overtime, a sort of desperation to be noticed by the higher-ups?’

He’d rushed here after surgery for this.

‘Hey! Oh my gosh, I haven’t seen you in ages! How’ve you been, Doc?’

Stephen turned to look over his shoulder. He was met by a broad chest, a garish tie of eclectic colours drawing his attention. Lifting his gaze to the man’s face, Stephen felt a flush rise in his cheeks at the sight of mischievous brown eyes.

_Had to be the coffee._

‘Do you mind if I join you?’ The stranger asked, dragging over a stool, his knees knocking into Stephen’s. ‘Oh, sorry, I didn’t realize you were seeing someone else. I can wait.’

Crossing his leg over his knee, he propped his chin on his hand and stared at Stephen’s date.

He seemed familiar, and Stephen frantically tried to remember if he knew the man. Had he treated him? Met him at medical school? No, Stephen would’ve recognised him.

Stephen would remember someone this stunning.

‘Sorry, carry on with your _fascinating_ story,’ the stranger challenged, smiling as he waited. He leant back, acting as if he had all the time in the world.

He wasn’t sure why, but Stephen got a sense of cocky arrogance from the stranger, not malicious, but a self-certainty. The way he sat, the way he held himself screamed of a man comfortable in his own skin.

Like recognised like.

Looking over his shoulder, Stephen could see other customers elbowing each other and nodding towards the man. A pair of women sat in leather armchairs began to giggle, taking out their phones to sneak a photo.

He couldn’t blame them. The man even had a gorgeous side profile. The low winter sun picked out strands of his mahogany hair, drenching them in sepia ink. Sitting down, he was shorter than Stephen and his date, but it didn’t distract from his presence, the charisma he exuded.

‘Could we take a rain check on our coffee? He’s one of my patients.’ Stephen reached out and clasped the stranger on the shoulder. ‘Very sick,’ he whispered.

‘Are you-’

‘Contagious? Very,’ his rescuer said deadpan. ‘In fact, how long was it you said I had to live again, doc?’

‘Four months,’ Stephen said with a sad shake to the head, reaching out for his latte.

‘Four months. Better get all my affairs in order. Which reminds me. Do you remember when you mentioned the… erm…’ the man clicked his fingers for a word.

‘Mucus,’ Stephen offered, smiling into his mug.

‘Ah yes, mucus. When do you think I’ll stop coughing that up? Cause I got to tell you, I made one of my co-workers vomit the other day after my last coughing fit. Actually, do you mind if I have a sip of your coffee?’ He reached out towards Stephen’s date. ‘Sorry, I can feel it clogging my lungs, sometimes fluids can help move it along.’

Stephen snorted into this drink as his date’s stool screeched backwards.

‘I need to go. I’ll…I’ll call you, Steve.’

‘Stephen,’ he growled under his breath, slamming his mug back down on the counter. ‘Thank you,’ he said after a few moments.

‘No problem. I could see your gaze going blank from all the way over there.’ The man pointed to a table partly hidden by a tall plant's fronds.

‘Tony,’ he held out a hand.

‘Tony?’ Stephen let the word hang between them.

‘Well, Anthony actually, but just Tony for now.’

‘Stephen Strange.’ He shook Tony’s hand, letting the subject drop.

‘Sure, it wasn’t Steve?’ Tony said with a grin, moving his stool closer to the counter.

Stephen appreciated the gesture, it gave him his personal space back, allowing them to turn and face each other. Intimate, without being overbearing.

‘Cute, real cute. How’d you know I’m a doctor?’

‘You’ve got,’ Tony gestured with his hand, pointing to Stephen’s face. ‘Faded marks from your surgical mask. Did I get it wrong?’

‘No. I’m just surprised.’

‘I notice details,’ Tony smiled again.

Stephen noticed details too. Like how Tony’s eyes didn’t move when he smiled. His smile was dazzling, but it lacked warmth, feeling. It was a façade.

‘Feel free to say no, but I could really do with another coffee. Care to join me?’

He glanced down at his three-quarters full latte, discreetly pushing it out of Tony’s sight.

‘Sure, why not. Let me get it, as a thank you for the rescue.’

‘No, no, this is on me. I’ll make up for the crap date by showing you how it should be done.’ Tony winked as he hopped down off the stool.

Stephen felt the beginnings of hope wedge in his chest at the playful flirtation. He was intrigued by Tony, a feeling he hadn’t experienced in a long time. He didn’t turn away as Tony waited in line, shamelessly eyeing up his silhouette.

Beneath his expensive suit, Stephen could see muscles, indicating the man looked after himself, a positive in his book. He wouldn’t have said Tony was tiny in stature, but he was small.

What was the word kids liked to use? Smol? Stephen pulled out his phone and looked it up, swiping away Christine's messages asking how his date was going.

**Something extremely small and cute.**

Stephen glanced up, watching as Tony rocked back and forth on his feet, whistling a tune from a popular commercial.

Smol he was.

More than that though, he elicited a response in Stephen which almost frightened him. He wanted to get to know this man, to form a connection because he wanted to. Not because Tony could help increase his standing in the medical world. He rested his elbow on the back of his stool, watching Tony give up his place in line for an elderly couple.

Tony fascinated him.

‘Here, I got you another latte, hope that’s okay? I got myself something to eat, I haven’t eaten today yet. I got you something too, well, a selection of somethings, I wasn’t sure what you liked,’ Tony rambled, placing the tray of cakes and pastries down.

Stephen looked at his watch. ‘It’s two in the afternoon. How have you not eaten yet?’

‘Been working all morning, lost track of time,’ Tony answered, biting into the top of a blueberry muffin and groaning. Juice from the blueberries oozed out, painting his lower lip a vibrant purple.

Stephen wondered what would happen if he reached over and swiped it off.

‘Workaholic?’ Stephen asked, reaching for a cinnamon swirl, rolling his eyes and breaking it in half as he saw Tony’s puppy dog eyes.

‘Workaholic on steroids,’ Tony countered, waiting for Stephen to put the treat down before pouncing on it. He enjoyed his food, Stephen noted, surprised to feel an inkling of affection, of interest growing.

‘I get like that too, focused on my research.’

So, why the date with Mr Dull?’ Tony shook the crumbs from his fingers onto the tray, careful not to get any on the counter.

‘My co-worker, well, friend set me up on a blind date. She’s been trying to set me up with someone ever since I told her I was bi. It’s become her mission or something,’ he muttered under his breath. Taking a bite of the cinnamon swirl, he sighed in delight, the cinnamon-infused dough melting on his tongue.

‘Could be she just cares about you,’ Tony replied, drinking his coffee.

‘Hmm.’

‘Trust me, as someone who doesn’t have many close friends. Cherish the ones who give a damn about you.’ Tony’s gaze slid to the window, unfocused as he lost himself in thoughts.

 _Loneliness._ Stephen thought to himself.

Not wanting to waste his opportunity, Stephen swallowed the rest of his swirl, desperately trying to think of a topic of conversation.

‘What do you for a living?’

‘What?’ Tony looked confused for a moment, a hunk of muffin falling free of his grip.

He finally had an interesting, gorgeous man sitting beside him, and he was messing this all up. Christine was right. He needed to do other things except research. Feeling anxiety start to rise inside him, applying pressure to the inside of his skull, Stephen tried to change the subject.

Giving Stephen a once over, Tony turned to face him, knees knocking the side of his thigh. ‘I work for a tech conglomerate. I guess officially, you could say I’m an electrical and mechanical engineer?’ Tony asked himself, nodding in satisfaction. ‘But I dabble in a lot of things.’

‘What school did you go to?’

‘Whoa, talk about an interrogation,’ Tony chuckled.

‘Sorry, sorry,’ Stephen turned, allowing their knees to touch.

‘I went to MIT, won the fourth annual MIT Robot Design Award when I was sixteen. I love listening to AC/DC when I’m inventing, and cheeseburgers are my comfort food…’ Tony trailed off, crossing his arms over his chest as he thought. ‘I’m a Gemini, or a dog, if you’re into Chinese horoscopes. My favourite colour is red-’

‘Alright, alright.’ Stephen held up a hand with a laugh, processing it all. ‘Sorry. I don’t get out much.’

‘Don’t sweat it,’ Tony waved him off.

‘Gemini, huh? I’m a Scorpio. I’m not sure if the stars are in our favour.’

‘Well, I don’t know. You split your cinnamon swirl in half. I’d say you’re one of the good ones.’

This time, Tony’s smile was a little crooked, not quite perfect, but it reached his eyes, making them sparkle.

‘What?’ Tony asked.

‘Your smile earlier, it felt like one you’ve practised. That one felt more normal.’ Stephen taunted, falling back on his own confidence.

‘Damn it. I let my guard down, I hate that smile,’ Tony teased, but Stephen could hear the annoyance curling in his words.

‘Don’t be sorry. Flaws are endearing. They make you, _you_.’

Tony hunched over, suddenly looking like he carried a heavy burden, invisible to all but him. As Stephen opened to his mouth to ask if he was okay, Tony lifted his head, his crooked smile wide.

Stephen was entranced by it. What else existed under all the layers of this man? This Stranger that Stephen had only known for thirty minutes at most.

‘You said you were researching? What’s it on?’ Tony’s interest was genuine. Stephen could tell the difference from many talks with his father. That man was the epitome of parental disinterest in their offspring.

‘Neurological surgery,’ Stephen answered, picking his mug up again.

‘Neuroscience?’ Tony said, shuffling forward on his stool, invading Stephen’s space. ‘Go on.’

‘I want to focus on the formation of new nerve cells.’

‘Oh, doctor. I love it when you talk like that.’ Tony got closer and Stephen welcomed his attention, basked in it.

‘I want to explore using trans-sectioned spinal cords to stimulate neurogenesis in the central nervous system,’ Stephen told him. He knew he was showing off, but he was also curious about Tony’s intellect.

‘That sounds similar to _the regeneration of spinal cord connectivity using biomaterial scaffold_ paper, Dr Fehlings published not to long ago. Have you read it yet?’

The narrative Stephen weaved in his mind about him seeing Tony long term shattered. His distrust rearing its ugly head. He knew Tony was too good to be true.

‘Did Christine put you up to this? Nic? It was Nic, right?’ Stephen leant back, glaring at him.

‘Up to what, Doc?’ Tony asked, licking crumbs off his bottom lip, looking adorable as he did so.

‘There’s no way you’re real. A guy who looks like the combination of every wet dream and porn I’ve ever watched come to life-’

‘You say the sweetest things,’ Tony interrupted.

‘There’s no way you have an interest, let alone an understanding of what Dr Fehlings wrote about.’

Tony didn’t answer straight away, drinking the last of his coffee as he thought about his answer.

‘I’m here because you’re pretty. The fact you’ve got an incredible brain sent my interest from piqued, to somewhere in the stratosphere.’ He pulled out his phone, tapping away at the screen, holding it up to Stephen’s eyeline. ‘You were wrong, by the way.’

‘A sexual relationship between a Gemini and a Scorpio is like a connection of the deepest and the highest point on planet Earth.’ Stephen read off the screen, quirking an eyebrow when finished.

Tony placed his business card on the counter. ‘I’ve got a meeting I’m like an hour late for, but if you’d like to give me a call sometime?’ Tony trailed off, still smiling his cocky smile, but Stephen heard a faint falter at the end of his question. 

Stephen dragged the business card across the counter, not looking at it, watching Tony’s expression.

‘I’ve got a dinner event the week after next, only the most… _incredible brains_ , will be attending. Want to be my plus one?’

Tony averted his eyes for a moment, blotches of red smattering his cheekbones. Stephen knew it would be easy to fall for this one, as if he wasn’t a little bit smitten already. ‘What’s the date? I’m away on business the day after tomorrow, but I can make my schedule work.

‘The twenty-third. Going anywhere nice?’

Tony made a scoffing sound, pushing the tray of remaining food over towards him. ‘I wish. Afghanistan. Hot, dusty, odd ideals on women and rights for the LGBT community. Hope to hear from you soon, Steve,’ Tony told him with a laugh.

Stephen watched him go, wondering when was too soon to text him. He looked down at the card, wanting to remember Tony’s number in case he lost it, and he squinted in disbelief.

‘You’ve got to be kidding me.’

**_Tony Stark._ **

**_CEO Stark Industries._ **

****

The End 

Come chat to me over on[ Twitter](https://twitter.com/kiki_rambles)


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